Five teams book quarterfinal berths

Odisha completed a six-wicket win over Maharashtra on day one of a low-scoring third-round match of the Buchi Babu all-India invitation tournament on Friday.

Left-arm spinner Sudipta Swain (four for 18) and seamer Basant Mohanty (three for 43) were the wreckers-in-chief as Maharashtra, electing to bat, capitulated for 110.

Useful knocks from Rakesh Mohanty, Natraj Behera, and Haladhar Das saw Odisha chase down the total without much trouble. Odisha and Maharashtra — first and second in Group ‘A’ — qualified for the quarterfinals.

The two teams, along with Hyderabad, were level on four points. But Odisha and Maharashtra edged out Hyderabad by virtue of better net run-rate.

While Baroda confirmed its berth in the last eight by topping Group ‘B’, TNCA President’s XI and Saurashtra have made it to the quarterfinals from Group ‘C’.

The President’s XI side improved its chances of finishing on top of its group, scoring 387 for five against Saurashtra.